Battle of Bosworth Field

Overview

The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field was the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the houses of Lancaster and York that extended across England and Wales in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 August 1485, the battle was won by an alliance of Lancastrians and disaffected Yorkists. Their leader Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, became the first Welsh monarch of England from the House of Tudor by his victory and subsequent marriage to the de facto Yorkist heiress, Elizabeth of York. His opponent Richard III, the last king of the House of York, was killed during the battle, the last English monarch to fall in battle. Historians consider Bosworth Field to mark the end of the Plantagenet dynasty, making it one of the defining moments of English history.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Bosworth Field on 22 August 1485 ended the Wars of the Roses, the civil conflict between the houses of Lancaster and York that had run across England and Wales through the latter half of the 15th century. The Yorkist king Richard III was killed during the engagement — the last English monarch to die in battle — and his defeat by an alliance of Lancastrians and disaffected Yorkists transferred the crown to Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond. Henry's subsequent marriage to Elizabeth of York, the de facto Yorkist heiress, united the two rival houses and established the Tudor dynasty. Historians regard Bosworth Field as marking the end of the Plantagenet dynasty and treat it as one of the defining turning points of English history, closing the dynastic civil war that had defined English political life for three decades.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (19)